The Funny Boy With The Braid
by Handmaiden Aniriel
Summary: Sabé/Obi-Wan. A cute little ficlet that takes place when Sabé and Obi are both young and cute. Very sweet and fluffy, with some humorous bits. Please R&R!


Title: The Funny Boy With The Braid  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: Do I look like George Lucas? I hope not.  
  
Notes: Sabé is only three to four years younger than Obi-Wan in this ficlet. You can also feel free to put on your Sabe/Handmaiden/Fan fiction sites.  
  
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"I still remember the times when I was a young child. I was an outspoken and talkative little girl, always scraping my knees, getting mud on my dresses and getting in trouble. But I envy the freedom and innocence I had then. I wasn't burdened with the reality's that present themselves to me now. Things are different now, in bad ways, in good ways. But there's one thing that still remains the same. He still loves me. I think he always has, and I know he always will."  
It was a day like any other in Theed. Bright, warm, balmy and welcoming. A typical spring day in Theed. Many of the local children had decided to take advantage of the sunshine and warm weather. The streets were bright and airy as they always were, but perhaps filled with a bit more mischief than usual!  
  
Several little girls crowded around a beautifully sculpted statue, it was the newest and biggest addition to the Royal Queen's collection. Set right in front of the palace entrance, it was magnificent to behold.  
  
"I bet you can't climb up the statue and not get caught!" Shouted a girl named Amá. A couple girls giggled, a few others gave gasps, but an especially short, rumpled looking girl stepped forward.  
  
"Sure I can! Just you watch me,"  
  
She ran to the foot of a large Nabooian statue, and grabbed a hold of statue's arms, and began climbing. Exclaimations of admiration and delight floated up at Sabé, who neared the statue's graceful head. Seeing as the statue was just a few feet outside of the Royal Palace of Theed, it wasn't long until a guard noticed them.  
  
Unluckily, Sabé didn't notice the guard, and as he strode towards them, the other girls fled, leaving Sabé to wonder where they had gone. Sabé tried to jump down off the statue, but the back of her dress caught on one of the outstretched fingers, and there she hung, helpless, several feet above the air. By this time, Sabé noticed the guard coming towards her, and utter horror took over the girl. Sabé immediately thought he would take her to jail, and she started bawling.  
  
As the guard scooped her up, Sabé could hear him saying things, but couldn't understand because she was howling so loudly. He began carrying Sabé off, and the frightened child thought surely he was heading towards the royal jail. After several minutes of screaming and sobbing, the guard put her down gently, and Sabé timidly stopped her wailing and rubbed her eyes.  
  
When the little girl saw where the guard had taken her, the urge to cry suddenly presented itself again; she was in Queen Kailá's court! Surrounded by several beautiful ladies in exotic dresses, The Queen seemed bathed in beauty and splendor to a child as young as Sabé was. Her face was still and motionless, and painted white like the snow, with two blood-red dots upon her young cheeks. Dressed in garb beyond compare to any other, Sabé thought the queen was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen before in her life.  
  
Sabé stood in utter silence and awe, her mouth hung open and her arms dangled at her sides, as the guard bowed to the Queen, the leaned close to whisper something in her ear.  
  
It was just then that Sabé noticed two men, well actually man and a BOY, sitting beside where she stood. They were both dressed in long brown robes and cream-colored tunics. The boy, he was probably a few years older than Sabé, he returned her gaze, but his gaze wasn't as curious as hers was. He looked her over, and stared at her as if he was trying to analyze her, or read her deepest thoughts. Sabé just wrinkled her nose at him and looked away, his staring made her a bit nervous.  
  
Just then, the Queen motioned for Sabé to step forward. The nervous little girl stumbled forward, filled with awe and horror at the idea of being royally punished.  
  
"My highness-YOUR highness," Sabé fumbled for words, and a small smile crossed the Queen's placid face.  
  
"Child, will you tell me your name?" She asked. Her voice was deep and bold, but graceful and elegant at the same time.  
  
"S-Sabé." The girl supplied meekly.  
  
The Queen nodded. "My captain tells me you took a liking to one of my statues-" She began.  
  
Sabé's chin quivered, and she clasped my hands together. "Please! Don't send me to jail!" She pleaded. To her astonishment, a small laugh escaped from the Queen's mouth.  
  
"Sabé, dear child, I wouldn't do that!" The queen smiled kindly, and shifted slightly. "Tell me, who are your parents?"  
  
Sabé's animated face twisted into an uncertain expression, and she shrugged. "I don't have parents. I live with my uncle."  
  
The Queen nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Sabé. Unless you want my Captain of the guard to have a talk with your uncle, I ask that you stay off my statues. is that clear?"  
  
Sabé's face lit up, and she clapped her hands together gleefully. "You mean you're not going to tell him?"  
  
The Queen smiled, almost like she was going to laugh, and she shook her head. "No I won't tell him this time. If it happens again, I shall."  
  
Sabé nodded solemnly, and bowed to the amusement of the court.  
  
The Queen straightened, and beckoned to one of her guards. "I would like to speak with the child more, but before I do that I should like to speak with you, Master Jinn."  
  
The guard took Sabé firmly by the shoulders, and sat her down beside the boy in brown. Sabé watched as the Queen rose and floated from the room, followed by the tall man in brown.  
  
Sabé turned her attention to the boy, who was still studying her. Sabé stared back, wondering if she could stare him down.  
  
After staring at each other for about two minutes, he spoke. "You're worried and apprehensive." He stated coolly, and smiled as if he was proud of himself. Sabé hardly knew the meaning of either word.  
  
"I am? Why am I worried and ap-ree-hensive?" Sabé asked. His smile faded, and he frowned while rubbing his chin, as if he was thinking of a reason for the girl's feelings. Sabé wanted to laugh, but instead, she pointed to his braid.  
  
"Why do you have a braid? Braid's are for girls." With a look of hurt pride, the boy puffed his chest out and crossed his arms.  
  
"Braids aren't all for girls." He responded lamely, but proudly.  
  
Sabé giggled and pointed to her own braided hair. He was silent for a moment. "What's your name?" Sabé asked, puzzled why this boy didn't like to talk.  
  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi." He answered.  
  
Sabé stuck out her hand in a very un-ladylike fashion. "Sabé Maberrie." She said, and he shook her hand gingerly.  
  
"Is that man with you your father?" Sabé asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why do you wear that ugly brown robe? Sabé persisted, and he smiled in such a way it made her smile too.  
  
"You don't know much about anything, do you?" He asked, eyes twinkling with amusement and teasing.  
  
Sabé just smiled and twirled a loose braid between her fingers.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled patiently. "I'm a Jedi Padawan." A what? Sabé didn't know what that was.  
  
"What's a jed-eye?" She asked.  
  
"You don't know what that is?" He asked, disbelief in his voice.  
  
"Well I guess you're one." She replied. He nodded slowly, but the look of disbelief stayed in his eyes.  
  
"A Jedi is someone who uses the Force for the better of things." Sabé opened her mouth to ask what the Force was, but he silenced her by putting his hand up.  
  
"Don't ask. It's not something someone can explain. I learn to fight and defend for the good of the people. We learn to use our minds to control and see what will happen around us."  
  
Sabé nodded, pretending she understood. But she didn't.  
  
Sabé frowned fiercely, as if in deep thought. Obi-Wan watched her, thoroughly amused with the animated little girl. Sabé suddenly brightened, and her frown turned into a large smile. "If I was in trouble would you protect me?" Sabé asked.  
  
Obi-Wan smirked, a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Of course, my lady." He said, and bowed his head. Sabé would have laughed on any other occasion, but for some reason she believed Obi-Wan, and it made her smile.  
  
"Well maybe someday I'll protect you instead!" She said, and her serious tone made the boy laugh.  
  
"I don't think I'll need protection, Sabé."  
  
The girl shrugged. "You never know."  
  
Obi-Wan just shook his head, amused.  
  
"I think you should come play with me and my friends sometime, and I can protect you from them!" Sabé suggested gleefully, and one could easily see the wheels in her mind turning.  
  
But Obi-Wan's face fell back into its serious expression and he shook his head.  
  
"I don't. play." He said, as if the very thought disgusted him.  
  
"Aren't you allowed to play games and to have fun? Or do you not WANT to?" Sabe asked after a moment of shock.  
  
Obi-Wan seemed to have no answer for her. "Well. I. games are for children." He fell silent.  
  
"But you ARE a children! I mean a child." Sabé said, and Obi-Wan just shrugged.  
  
"Oh, that's awful, no playing!" Sabé continued, waving her hands around for effect. "Why, if I told Jowan that, he wouldn't believe me!"  
  
At the mention of Jowan, Obi-Wan looked at Sabé curiously. "Who's Jowan?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, he's my friend. And I'm going to marry him someday!" Sabé said, her eyes shining.  
  
Obi-Wan laughed softly. "Well, invite me to the wedding." He said wryly.  
  
Oblivious to his sarcasm, Sabé nodded emphatically, "Well of course I will!" She smiled broadly. "Hey now, you never said why you're here on Naboo. I don't think I've ever seen a Jedi before on Naboo."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't really talk about that."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"No one is supposed to know about it."  
  
Sabé sighed, and waved her hand in dismissal. "Well fine. I don't want to know, anyway."  
  
A moment later, Sabé grinned and began talking again. "You know, me and Jowan are going to be star pilots! We can fly you around to go wherever Jedi people go someday. Wouldn't that be fun?"  
  
Obi-Wan stared at Sabé a long moment before speaking.  
  
"I don't think I've never met a girl like you before, Sabé." He said. Sabé didn't know whether that was good or bad, so she just smiled and thanked him.  
  
"How long will you be staying?" Sabé asked a moment later. Obi-Wan shrugged.  
  
"A couple of days. Weeks. Months. There's really no telling."  
  
She gaped. "That's a long time." She said, and he nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well will I see you again?" She asked.  
  
He smiled. "Probably not."  
  
Sabé pouted. "Aw, that's to bad. We were just gettin' to be good friends. You're such a funny boy! I like you."  
  
Obi-Wan blushed slightly and thanked the girl.  
  
About that time, the Queen and the man in brown came back into the room, and Obi-Wan and Sabé fell silent.  
  
As the queen and the older man spoke for a few more moments, Sabé guessed that that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon would be going soon, and she reached up to finger something hanging at her neck.  
  
"Can you keep this for me?" She asked, taking off her amulet. It was a clumsy string with a shiny rock on it, but she loved the necklace and always wore it.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"Keep it, and that way you'll have to bring it back sooner or later!" Sabé explained.  
  
"Oh," He said. His ears turned slightly red, and he accepted her necklace clumsily. Even though he looked embarrassed, he grinned like a fool at little Sabé.  
  
"Come, Obi-Wan." The man beckoned to the boy.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at Sabé. "Goodbye, Sabé. It was nice to meet you."  
  
She smiled back. "Bring back my necklace!" She reminded him.  
  
He nodded, and with another grin, he left with his master.  
  
As Sabé watched Obi-Wan leave the room, she wished the interesting boy who called himself a Jedi would stay a little longer. Sabé didn't see Obi-Wan again for a long time. But she always remembered the funny boy with the braid. And she found out later, he always remembered the outspoken little girl who climbed statues. 


End file.
